


Turning up the charm

by Nival_Vixen



Series: Word of the day [21]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Retail, Cologne, Complete, Finstock is a reluctant matchmaker so his workers can go back to work, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, M/M, Meddling, Oblivious Derek, Oblivious Stiles, Retail assistant Stiles, Shopper Derek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-02
Updated: 2014-07-02
Packaged: 2018-02-07 03:40:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1883973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nival_Vixen/pseuds/Nival_Vixen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Scott doesn't believe that Stiles can be charming enough to sell the perfume products. Finstock, their manager, pulls aside a customer and makes Stiles charm him into buying something from the perfume counter.</p><p>Boy, does Stiles deliver.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Turning up the charm

**Author's Note:**

> Word of the day: Lagniappe
> 
> 1\. Chiefly Southern Louisiana and Southeast Texas . a small gift given with a purchase to a customer, by way of compliment or for good measure; bonus.  
> 2\. a gratuity or tip.  
> 3\. an unexpected or indirect benefit.

"Dude, he totally likes you," Scott says from the jewellery counter, grinning broadly.

"He does not;  _shut up_ , he's looking," Stiles hisses, spritzing a perfume in Scott's direction.

Unfortunately, he's too far away for it to make much of an impact.

"Boys, what are you two doing?" Finstock, their somewhat eccentric manager asks, standing between the two counters to glare at them in turn.

(Stiles notices that Finstock glares at him longer than Scott, and that's totally not fair.)

"Uh, working," Scott replies, a little slowly and obviously confused at Finstock's question.

"No, you're not. Because you know what I'd see if you were working?  _People buying things!_  You two are meant to be the charming young guys that draw people in to buy our things, you know that right?"

"Charming? Mr. Finstock, sir, I really don't think Stiles can be charming," Scott says, looking over at his friend with a frown.

Stiles starts contemplating just how far those damn perfume bottles with the extendable spray sticks can reach.

"Of course he can! You both can. Look, we'll get a volunteer," Finstock says, marching off ... directly to the guy that Scott thinks has a crush on Stiles (and who Stiles totally has a crush on, but let's not go there; he's a potential client, and Stiles just thinks he's pretty from afar which he's been assured is not a serious foundation for any kind of relationship, and seriously, what the fuck is Finstock doing?).

"Geez, he can be scarily persuasive," Scott mutters in surprise. "Now I know how he got to be manager," he adds.

Stiles still thinks that threats or blackmail had to be involved to get Finstock in charge of a whole damn store, but sure, the persuasive thing works too.

"This gentleman has kindly volunteered to be a ... volunteer," Finstock finishes with a slight frown. "Now, sir, do you have a girlfriend? Boyfriend? Anyone special in your life?"

The guy's eyes flick over to Stiles, and if he didn't look so terrified, Stiles might actually be tempted to read something into that.

"Sister. Older," he adds quickly, as if the faster he says this, the faster it'll be over.

"Excellent! Now, just to prove that Stiles here can be charming, we're going to get him to try and sell you something, okay? And I'll personally pay you $50 if you find out about his sister without asking the obvious question. So, uh, just pretend you don't know about his sister, all right, Stiles?" Finstock adds.

"All right," Stiles replies, and he's not sure if he wants to run and hide, or do this and charm the fucking pants off this guy. (Although, the second one, definitely later. In private. Without Finstock anywhere nearby, in sight, or in hearing distance. Or in the same state, preferably. Yeah, he's so never getting a date from this guy now, screw whatever chance he might have had before this.)

Fuck it; he needs the bonus for fuel, and the guy hasn't run off yet.  _Why the hell not?_

"All right, get 'em tiger," Finstock says, practically shoving the guy towards Stiles' perfume counter, then stands back to watch.

Scott is watching him with slightly wide eyes, as if he's sure Stiles is going to crash and burn because he's actually talked about this guy's stubble with Scott one night, and fuck, he is going to crash and burn so utterly. Fucking fuck fucker.

The guy's standing there, obviously nervous and still too terrified to run because Finstock might actually be crazy enough to tackle him to the ground over this. Stiles feels so shitty that he's been dragged into this mess, and offers him a smile, hoping to ease his nerves.

"Hi, I'm Stiles," he says. "What's your name?"

"Derek," he replies, glancing behind to where Finstock's still watching them carefully.

"Nice to meet you, Derek. Are you looking for something for yourself?" Stiles asks, his grin broadening a bit. "We've got cologne and aftershave, as well as perfume," he adds when Derek frowns.

"Really? I didn't know that," Derek admits curiously, stepping forward to look at the display properly.

"Yeah, you wouldn't when you spend half the day hovering in the underwear department trying to check out my staff," Finstock mutters, but his voice - which is never quiet on a good day - is loud enough to be heard and both Derek and Stiles go bright red.

"Shh... sir. Stiles still hasn't gotten Derek to buy anything; I'm not convinced," Scott adds, far too happily for Stiles' liking.

Stiles promises himself to find the most disgustingly floral perfume in the whole display and spray the entire damn bottle into Scott's locker.

"He's right. Go on, Stilinski," Finstock adds, grinning like the absolute meddling shit of a manager he is.

"Sorry, I really need this job," Stiles mutters, and while Derek's still red and blushing, he nods in return.

 _Right, then_. Since they're already doing this and are both completely embarrassed, Stiles might as well turn on the charm to eleven. It'll be good practice for  _Jungle_  next weekend, if nothing else.

"David Beckham's cologne is very popular, usually for the guys that like to throw names around and act like big sports stars; Hummer's good for the guys who think their car's an approximate of their penis - " Finstock chokes here, and Stiles hopes it  _hurt_  " - but Armani is a favourite for the guy who ... well, who looks like you, honestly," he says, glancing Derek over in a way that cannot be misconstrued (Derek blushes again, but it's softer than earlier, and he doesn't look as embarrassed; Stiles figures it's a good thing).

Stiles spritz's the cologne on his wrist and offers it to Derek with a smile that's probably more predatory than salesperson (although, with some of the salespeople he's met, Stiles thinks perhaps those smiles aren't so different after all). Derek can't seem to look away from his wrist and hand, even as he moves forward to the counter, and takes a small sniff, blushing all over again. (If Stiles knew it would be this easy to make the guy blush, he would have done it days ago.)

"A little musky, I'll admit, but it's a more pleasing scent than some of the spicier colognes, which can be harsh and irritable. Do you use a cologne now?" Stiles asks, even though he's probably close enough to take a whiff for himself (and seriously, temptation never looked this fucking good before).

"Just a generic brand; not really into wasting money on this sort of stuff," Derek admits, looking a little embarrassed at the admission.

"That's totally fine; not a lot of people are. But I tell you what, this definitely makes all the difference. It's completely different to the usual body sprays 'cause let's face it, those things stink to the high heavens and make people want to run away from you, no matter what clever advertising they use," Stiles points out, receiving a nod from all three men (Scott had learned the hard way that Axe was not a magnet for women). "Cologne, when used correctly, is much more subtle and won't overpower your girlfriend."

"Don't have a girlfriend," Derek says.

"Boyfriend?" Stiles asks.

"No; I'm single," he replies quickly, glancing over his shoulder to Finstock and Scott now; they're utterly enthralled in this, and Stiles is pretty sure that Derek is contemplating running.

"I don't believe that," Stiles says, grinning.

Derek just shrugs.  _Shit, he's losing him_.

"Anyone in your family nag you about getting a girlfriend or boyfriend?" he asks with a slight chuckle.

"My sister, mostly," Derek says, rolling his eyes.

"Let me guess: she's happily married, has a kid on the way, and thinks you'd be happier if you just settled down already?"

"Scarily accurate, actually."

"Thought so; it's happening to all of my friends, too. I mean, if I want to lounge around, avoid people, and not move for two days straight, it's not bothering anyone else, so what's the problem, right?"

("Geez, Stiles, it was one time; and you hadn't showered in three days," Scott mutters across from them.)

"But y'know, when I do decide to go out, after I've made sure I look fucking dapper," Stiles says, glancing down to his shirt and waistcoat with a brief smirk, "I always put on my favourite cologne. 'Cause without that extra bit of confidence - and the olfactory sense is one of the best in the human body - then the night's just going to be a total loss."

Derek seems to be staring at Stiles' lips - and he's totally okay with that because it gives him a few extra seconds to check out Derek's eyes, green and blue with flecks of gold, and he kind of has to resist the urge to pull Derek over the counter and kiss him until they're both breathless.

"So what's your favourite cologne?" Derek asks, sounding a little breathless anyway.

"Jean Paul Gaultier," Stiles replies, pulling the cologne out. "It's a very herbal scent, with lavender, mint, orange, and vanilla, and it is definitely lighter than most of the colognes we offer. I like it because it doesn't smell like chemicals, it smells natural, and that goes a long way with people," he adds, wiping off the Armani before spritzing this cologne and offering his wrist to Derek once more.

"You're right. I'll buy two boxes if you give me your phone number," Derek says, voice low and obviously trying not to get Scott or Finstock's attention.

Stiles grins broadly and nods. "Thought you'd never ask."

Scott cheers when Stiles pulls out a department bag and two boxes of the cologne.

"You took fifteen minutes to get a sale, Stilinski. Practice a bit more, would you? My dead grandmother could sell things faster than you could," Finstock adds, rolling his eyes. "And Derek? Next time you want to hit on one of my salespeople, do it on their own time, all right?"

Derek watches as Stiles writes his phone number on both boxes, as well as his receipt, and the store's business card. "I'll keep that in mind, sir."

Finstock mutters under his breath, pulls out his wallet and puts a $50 note on the cologne counter for Stiles. "Take him somewhere nicer than a burger joint, Stilinski."

" _Finstock to security, Finstock to security_ ," a deep voice comes over the store's PA system.

"God dammit, Greenberg! If this is about another kid in a costume, I'm going to fire you!" Finstock yells up at one of the cameras, stalking off to the security area.

A woman walks up to the jewellery counter, and Scott beams at her as he starts his own sales pitch.

Stiles takes one of the complimentary spa boxes and puts it in along with the colognes and offers the bag to Derek. "A lagniappe for your sister," he explains with a grin. "And I'll tell you something else that I don't usually tell customers," he adds to Derek. "That cologne smells amazing after you've just fucked someone while wearing it."

Derek goes red again, but then he nods and gives Stiles a once over and a smirk that makes his stomach flutter. "I think I'll be the judge of that."

...

The end.

Thanks for reading!


End file.
